


Sabreyna

by broedym



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Politics, DameRey, F/M, Leading to a different and very much requited love, Modern AU, Sabrina movie AU, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22996705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broedym/pseuds/broedym
Summary: Sabreyna grew up pining after Ben Solo, son of her father’s employers. She leaves him behind for six long years when she goes away to university, but when she returns her crush is ever-present. It couldn’t come at a worse time for Ben, especially when he is suddenly drawn to her too. Poe Dameron finds himself with the unenviable task of keeping them apart, and soon comes to realize just how extraordinary she is.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 50
Kudos: 57





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Ever since I saw [tinderbox210’s beautiful Damerey photoset based on the movie Sabrina](https://tinderbox210.tumblr.com/post/189998284863/damerey-au-sabrina-ive-been-following-in), this idea was stuck in my head. I finally got it together to write it. 
> 
> This AU is set in the political world rather than the business one. And due to the nature of the source material, this is going to include more Ben than I usually write. 
> 
> That being said, if you have ever read anything I’ve written for this fandom you know where it’s heading...

Once there was a girl called Sabreyna Smith. She lived in a grand house on the Long Island north shore – a mansion left over from another era. There was staff to clean each of its 10 bedrooms, gardeners to keep the four acres of lawn manicured, a chef to prepare every meal, even a tennis coach for the private court. There was also a chauffeur who drove Sabreyna in an elegant Rolls Royce to the exclusive private school she attended nearby. To anyone who cared to look, she lived a privileged, picture-perfect childhood.

But Sabreyna didn't really live in a fairytale. The grand house did not belong to her family, nor did they employ any staff. They did not own the elegant car. The school she attended was not paid for by her parents, but through financial aid based on her academic results. To anyone who truly looked, she was the very definition of a fish out of water. 

Sabreyna Smith was not a Long Island princess. She was the only daughter of the aforementioned chauffeur who worked for Han Solo, the shipping magnate. It was that family’s grand house in which she and her father resided, the two of them together in an apartment over the garage. It was in their car that she was driven to and from the school that she never would have been accepted into if not for that family’s influence, excellent academic record or not. 

Sabreyna was also the daughter of a man hiding his true identity. 

Growing up, she knew she didn’t fit in with the family who employed her father. She played in their gardens and swam in their pools, and went to bed every night well fed and protected. She knew her place, however – not from any overt discussion with her father, but rather the quietly learned rules of what was allowed and what was not. Where she was allowed to play and which areas were out of bounds. Who was appropriate to talk to, and who was not.

Not only was the family wealthy beyond measure, they were well known. ‘Pillars of society’ her father had said once, when she was too young to understand what society was. Leia Organa, the matriarch of the Organa-Solo clan, was the senior Senator from New York, and held in the highest regard by her constituents. Senator Organa was part of a political dynasty that had held power to varying degrees for more than a century. It was no wonder, then, that their only son was destined for greatness. 

Ben Solo was the sun, as far as Sabreyna was concerned, and she would have happily been the moon. When she was a child, Ben was a popular, gregarious teenager who put up with her hanging around when his friends were over. He called her ‘kid’ good-naturedly, and gave her toys and books he no longer had use for. He never made her feel like an annoyance or teased her about her tomboy ways. 

When Sabreyna was a teenager, though, Ben Solo was something new altogether. Now he was a young man – a law student whose presence at the mansion was less frequent but just as cherished. When he was home from college, he was her everything. Tall, dark and handsome, Ben was the sole object of Sabreyna’s affections – the only man she ever wanted, even as the occasional boy at school showed an interest in her. No one held a candle to Ben, as far as she was concerned. She wanted desperately to tell him so, but he made her so nervous she would get the hiccups on the rare occasions he spoke to her. It never failed to send her scurrying back to the apartment above the garage, burning with embarrassment. 

When she was 17, everything changed. Senator Organa was running for re-election and her opponent, looking for anything with which to smear her, uncovered the truth about Sabreyna’s father. He wasn’t John Smith, chauffeur to the Senator’s husband. His real name was Jonas Palpatine, son of the crooked hedge fund manager who years before had overseen a financial empire that was exposed as the largest ponzi scheme in history. Shreev Palpatine had been the most hated man in the country when he was finally brought to justice, not long after Sabreyna was born. He was the perpetrator of an evil that robbed thousands of their savings, destroyed families, and caused multiple suicides. He was also the very definition of dark money, with dozens of politicians paid off to do his bidding and help cover his fraudulent activities.

Jonas Palpatine, who had been estranged from his father for years, nonetheless felt the shame of bearing his name. To protect his daughter he had taken a new name and became John Smith, and moved to Long Island to give her a different, protected life. It wasn’t until the truth was discovered years later that Sabreyna learned about her grandfather who was now serving a sentence of over 150 years in prison for his numerous crimes.

The truth of her father’s lineage almost derailed Leia Organa’s re-election campaign, especially after Han Solo refused to fire his chauffeur out of loyalty, and a healthy dose of bullishness and distaste for the press. John Smith stayed. Senator Organa eventually won her re-election. But not before Sabreyna was sent away, back to their native England to protect her from those who sought to embarrass and malign the Senator. She left behind her father, her few friends, and most of all, Ben Solo. 

She hadn’t wanted to leave. She had begged and pleaded with her father to stay. She cried bitter tears over being separated from Ben, bemoaning the fact he would forget all about her. It wasn’t until her father, not unkindly, reminded her that Ben couldn’t forget someone he didn’t even know existed. It was a cruel blow, one that made her hate her father in that brief moment. 

Sabreyna only recognized it as the truth when a little time and distance separated them. She forgave her father, and did her best to forget about Ben Solo. She saw something of the world away from the north shore enclave and the family that had dictated so much of her life. It was away from their influence and patronage that she found herself. 

It wasn’t until she was 23 and newly graduated from university that she returned to Long Island… which is when Sabreyna Smith’s story truly began.

∞∞∞∞∞

Rey stepped down off the Greyhound bus and inhaled deeply. Her destination was a quiet hamlet that was far removed from the busyness of the city or the surrounding towns on the north shore. It was everything she remembered, with little change in the past six years to mark the passage of time. 

There was no one to greet her like the other passengers who got off at the same stop. She had purposely not told her father of her early arrival, wishing to surprise him by coming a full week before he expected her. Still, she glanced around in case she recognized anyone she knew. When there was nobody, Rey retrieved her suitcase and other bags and made her way to the nearest taxi rank in the middle of the main street. 

While she waited she smoothed out her long, flowing dress. It had not been the most practical attire to wear on a bus journey, especially in the heat of a New York summer, but it was the most extravagant thing she had bought during her time studying in Paris. She told herself she wanted to look her best when she saw her father again. She even wore kitten heels for the occasion, something that would have appalled her teenage self. 

Rey was peering down the street in search of an elusive taxi when she spotted the vintage red Ferrari parked a short distance away. There were plenty of wealthy residents in the area, and luxury European cars weren’t uncommon. She couldn’t help but wonder… Red had always been his favorite color, and a ludicrously expensive Italian sports car was exactly the sort of vehicle he’d…

She gulped when she saw the tall figure approach the car, parcel in hand. He was dressed in casual pants and a linen jacket, looking effortlessly handsome. His dark hair was a little longer than the last pictures she’d seen online, when she’d finally permitted herself to Google his name again after a self imposed moratorium. Rey knew he kept it that way to hide the ears he’d always complained were too big. She had never noticed any imperfections. 

It was a shock to have him suddenly materialize, as if she had conjured him. She thought she had more time to prepare herself. And yet she couldn’t hide the smile that appeared, her heart beating faster at the mere sight of him. It broadened without her realizing it when he glanced up and noticed her staring. To Rey’s delight, Ben smiled back.

“Hi!” she exclaimed.

“Hi,” he replied. Ben placed the parcel into the back of the Ferrari, his eyes trained on her the whole time.

“I thought that was yours.”

“Oh yeah?” 

“If I had to guess what car you drove these days, it would’ve been a red Ferrari,” Rey continued cheerily.

“Well, you know me,” he said a little more hesitantly as he took a few steps towards her.

“I do.” She smiled softly now, flooded with memories of the boy he was and fantasies of the man he had become.

Ben smiled again but his expression was clearly more puzzled. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“A taxi.”

“Do you need a ride?” He gestured back to the car. “I was just on my way home and I could drop you wherever you need to go.”

“Funnily enough we’re headed to the same place, Ben Solo.” Just saying his name was enough to cause a pleasant swooping sensation in her stomach. 

“Must be my lucky day,” he said, his dark gaze not wavering. 

Another thrill ran through her and Rey fought to stop herself from grinning like an idiot. She put it down to the shock of seeing him in the flesh. It was hard to not feel like the lovestruck teenager she’d been when she’d seen him last, six long years ago. Settling her expression into one of fake nonchalance, she collected her belongings and closed the distance between them. 

When she was only a few steps away Rey shifted her sunglasses to the top of her head, pushing her short hair behind her ears. Her stare was unapologetic now, taking in the small changes to his features up close. The photos on social media showed none of them, but Rey knew his face almost better than she knew her own.

His parents were the famous ones, and the Ben she remembered had always been unassuming about his heritage and everything that came with it. Now, she found out online, name recognition was all important due to his own burgeoning political career. She recalled, too late, that he went by Ben Organa-Solo these days, no doubt to appeal to potential voters. 

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Rey asked demurely. She could feel the blush on her cheeks and hoped she didn’t look like the awkward kid she still felt like sometimes.

“It would be my pleasure.” Ben’s voice was low and sonorous, and his eyes which had been locked with hers flitted down the length of her and back again.

Rey’s whole face suddenly felt like it was on fire, a faint buzzing in her ears, as he reached over to pick up her suitcase. He still towered over her, even in heels. She caught a waft of his cologne, a new addition to the sensory overload that was Ben.

“You don’t travel light,” he was saying when she snapped back to attention, “but I’m sure I can make it all fit.”

Ben took her other bags and dropped them into the back of the car along with the suitcase. Rey walked mechanically to the passenger door and waited, not for reasons of chivalry but because she was unsure about touching the Ferrari. Ben opened it for her, offering her his hand as she got in. 

Rey said little as they drove out of the township towards the Organa-Solo estate. While Ben attempted small talk she reminded herself that he was off limits in every way that mattered, most notably that he had a girlfriend. Not only was she a pediatric surgeon, Tallissan Lintra was the daughter of the Governor of New York. Rey’s father had broken the news six months ago on one of their regular phone calls, how the family was waiting for the inevitable announcement of their engagement. She knew her father wasn’t being intentionally hurtful – he had no idea of the torch she still carried for the son of his employer. Rey had feigned interest, all the while feeling like her heart was breaking even as she knew how ridiculous she was for thinking she ever had a chance with him. 

She knew she could never compete with the likes of Ben’s girlfriend. She knew hers was a silly schoolgirl crush that had never gone away, even after she did. As she sat beside him now in his sports car, she mentally chastised herself and remembered that she was here to see her father, not Ben.

“So, I guess you’re here for the party tonight,” Ben said, interrupting her reverie. 

Rey turned to look at him without offering a reply.

“My mother’s fundraiser. That’s why you’re here.”

She was grateful that her sunglasses, perched on her face once more, hid the confusion in her eyes. 

“You must be new,” he continued. “I haven’t seen you at one of these things. I never forget a pretty face.”

Rey still didn’t reply, her chest tightening.

Ben glanced at her in between keeping his eyes on the road. “Are you with the catering crew? Or the band?”

“Oh,” was all she managed to say in response. She fixed her gaze firmly forward once more. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

Rey didn’t blame him. She’d left the States as a shy, awkward 17 year old who could barely say two words to him without becoming self conscious. And despite the notoriety that her grandfather’s name brought her and her father, Rey was sure that to the likes of Ben Organa-Solo, she was and would remain a nobody. 

He was looking at her again. “Shit. Have I put my foot in it?”

She chuckled mirthlessly. “No. I wouldn’t expect you to know me.”

“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to.”

A small frown knitted her brow as that new and intriguing idea formed. Rey willed herself not to look at him.

“Don’t miss the turn off,” she said instead and pointed to the grand gates of the estate. 

Ben focused his attention on the road again and drove smoothly through the open gates and down the long drive towards the house. He pulled up a short distance from the front doors, amid delivery trucks from which flowers and food were being unloaded. He turned to her but Rey was quickly out of the car. 

“Wait, am I going to see you at the party later?” he asked and climbed out a little less gracefully in his haste.

“I doubt it.” 

She went to retrieve her suitcase and Ben was there in an instant, his large hard covering hers on the handle. “Tell me where I can find you then.” 

Rey withdrew her hand and let him lift out the heavy suitcase. “Thank you for the lift, Ben.”

“What’s your name?” he asked more urgently. “Give me something to go on.”

“Does it really matter?”

“Well, yeah. Yeah, it does. How else will I find you?”

“I think you’ll have more important people to talk to tonight than me.”

“Perhaps.” He shrugged, his dark eyes boring into hers. “But no one as beautiful. Come on, you can tell me your name at least.”

Rey smiled grimly at the compliment and wondered how true it could be. Ben was a notorious flirt, though never with her. It was impossible to believe it was anything but lip service, or maybe the effect of her Parisian dress and new hairstyle…

Ben took a step closer and her heart actually skipped a beat. It took the call of his name to break the spell she found herself under, and they both looked towards the house where Poe Dameron had emerged from the front door. He was trailed by a woman with a cell phone in each hand and a clipboard under her arm. 

Poe was a couple of years older than Ben, a close friend of the family, and the two of them had grown up like brothers. She wasn’t surprised to see him there so many years later. Rey had never paid Poe much attention when Ben was around, but it was clear that the years had been kind to him as well. Or perhaps it was the dark jeans and white button-down he wore, and the curls that still graced his head. She felt herself smiling more effortlessly at another familiar face.

“You’re running late,” Poe said to Ben as he headed towards a town car that was parked nearby. “Your mother’s looking for you. Hello, Sabreyna.”

Ben’s eyes widened as Rey felt a flush of embarrassment. Poe had always been the more serious of the two, and it made sense that he was also the most observant.

“Hello, Poe,” she murmured. With a swift glance at Ben she snatched up her other bags and took hold of her suitcase. 

“Sabreyna?” Ben echoed in disbelief. 

“How was university?” Poe asked, barely pausing as he reached the car.

“Fine, thank you.” Rey saw that Ben was still staring at her, mouth slightly agape. “I need to go find my father.” 

“Wait… Sabreyna?” he repeated incredulously as she backed away.

Rey turned and her steps quickened as she made her escape. 

∞∞∞∞∞

She found her father polishing the precious Rolls Royce that Han Solo had imported two decades ago. She flew into his arms as his face registered shock, and hugged him as tightly as she could. 

“What are you doing here?” he choked out before she loosened her grip on his shoulders. “You blessed girl, you weren’t supposed to arrive until next week!”

Rey pulled away with a watery grin. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“You succeeded.” Her father mopped absently at the corners of his eyes with the same cloth he’d been using on the car. “Why didn’t you call? I could have collected you in town.”

“I got a lift, it’s fine.” She took a few steps back and appraised him. “You look good, Dad.”

“Oh posh. I look like a middle aged man in decline. But I do feel better for seeing you. I’ve missed you, Sabreyna.”

“Rey,” she reminded him firmly. Her expression softened. “I missed you too.”

He nodded in defeat, and she was grateful that she didn’t have to reiterate why she’d changed her name. John Smith knew all about the desire to turn his back on his true identity.

“Come upstairs and I’ll make tea. I want to hear all your news.” He took charge of her suitcase and went to the stairs that led to the self contained apartment above. 

“I’m not taking you away from anything, am I? I didn’t realize there was a party tonight.” Rey’s concern was thinly guised, and she hoped he didn’t pick up on her curiosity over the event.

“One of the Senator’s fundraisers. Mr. Solo will be firmly entrenched in his den by now, threatening not to come out when the guests arrive. Which means I have the afternoon off.”

Rey stepped inside the apartment, feeling like she was in a timewarp. Not a single thing had changed in her absence, apart from the addition of a few framed photographs that she’d sent him from university. She paused in front of a picture of the two of them, taken when she turned 16, and barely recognized that sullen looking teen with the long, dishevelled hair and bangs that fell to her eyes. It was no wonder that Ben hadn’t known her. She was different now and, she hoped, more stylish. Her time in Paris saw to that. She’d been fortunate to live with two glamorous roommates during her year at the Sorbonne who’d taken her under their wing and helped update her look, as well as her self confidence. The first thing they’d insisted upon was cutting her wavy hair to the ear length it was now.

“Put your things away while I brew the tea,” her father said. “I have your room all ready.”

Rey smiled in response and did as she was told, finding her room exactly as it had been left. She hadn’t been like other teenagers with posters on their walls or inspiring quotes stuck to the mirror. Her bedroom was plain and unadorned, as if it were a guest house and not a home, which is exactly how she always thought of it. 

She sat on the bed and ran her hand over the cotton comforter, taking in the familiar space. After a moment she lay back so her head was next to the bedside table. There, on the edge of the white wood was a tiny B.S. with a heart around it written in Sharpie, in a spot only she could see. Rey touched her finger to it and sighed.

“Tea’s up!” came the call from the kitchen and she got up swiftly to rejoin her father.

∞∞∞∞∞

“Secretary Mothma is a late apology for this evening – an urgent matter she had to attend to, her assistant said,” Kaydel Connix stated as she ran through the list of the party attendees for the small group assembled. 

Senator Leia Organa sat behind her large oak desk and nodded. “I thought as much. Snoke is up to his usual tricks ahead of the Cabinet meeting. Remind me to call her tomorrow.”

“And the Governor’s office confirmed he and his wife may still get here in time, but not to wait.”

“I’ll be sure to do that,” Leia said drolly and shared a knowing look with Poe who stood on the other side of her desk. She turned her attention to her son who sat in one of the armchairs to the side of the book-lined room. “It’s a shame Talli couldn’t be here tonight. When are you expecting her?”

“She won’t be back from California for another week, Mother,” Ben replied with obvious disinterest in both the conversation and the newspaper he was flicking through. 

“You will make a point of talking to the Ematts tonight, won’t you?” 

“For the third time, yes.”

“And the Gawats and Cassy Algara.”

“Yes, yes, alright.” Ben tossed the paper aside and stood up. “I’ll speak with all the old fogies and tell them how grateful I am for their support. Did you know Sabreyna was coming back today?”

Leia was engrossed by something on the iPad that she’d been handed and missed Poe’s frown. She glanced up at Ben.

“Hmm, what’s that? Sabreyna’s back? I thought she wasn’t arriving for another week.”

“You knew she was coming home and didn’t tell me?” Ben demanded. 

“I didn’t know you’d be interested in the travel plans of the chauffeur’s daughter, darling.” 

“She grew up here,” said Ben more circumspectly, his eyes darting between his mother and Poe. “Of course I’m interested.”

“I’ll be sure and stop by tomorrow to say hello to her,” Leia replied then nodded at Poe. “Go ahead and send the reply and then let Amilyn know.”

“Will do.” Poe took the tablet back and started tapping away on it.

“Why wait until tomorrow?” Ben interjected. “You could see her tonight.”

“I’ll be too busy tonight. I have calls to make and then I need to get ready.”

“Not if she came to the party,” he argued. “You could say hello then.”

Leia waved her hand dismissively. “Very well. Invite her to the party, if you like.”

Poe made a face and shook his head at the Senator, which Ben caught. His chin jutted out obstinately. “Thank you, I will.”

“You have more important people to focus on tonight, Ben,” Poe said in a warning tone.

“It doesn’t mean we can’t be hospitable when an old friend comes to visit.”

Poe sighed tiredly and rubbed a hand over his forehead.

∞∞∞∞∞

The guests were due to arrive in less than an hour. As Poe stood before a mirror in one of the numerous guest bedrooms to tie his black bowtie, Ben lounged on the bed already in his tuxedo. And, to Poe’s annoyance, he had yet to shut up about Sabreyna’s return.

“I mean, you saw her, right?” Ben said distractedly. “It’s not just me.”

“You have to concentrate less on Sabreyna and more on the people you need to impress tonight,” Poe replied in a stern tone. ”You haven’t even looked at the prep I gave you.”

“I don’t want to talk to them,” Ben whined, sounding like a petulant child. “They’re so fucking boring.”

Poe glared at Ben via the mirror. “They’re also rich and have plenty of rich friends. In case you forgot, you’re running for Congress. You need all the donors and influence you can get. Unless you want to dip into your trust fund.”

“Fine.” Ben picked up the folder beside him and flipped through the wad of paper inside. A minute later as Poe stepped into his shoes, he set it aside. “I just can’t get over how grown up she is now.”

“She’s been gone, what? Five, six years? What did you expect?”

“Not that. She’s a knockout.”

Poe glanced up from tying his laces. “Behave yourself, asshole.”

“I always do.”

Both of them knew that was a lie. Poe stood up with a huff and retrieved his tuxedo jacket.

“I mean it, Ben. I won’t waste my time on your campaign if you’re going to keep up these bullshit playboy antics. I have actual work to do at the Capitol but I’m doing this as a favor to your mother until you appoint a campaign manager.”

“You’re doing this because my mother told you to,” Ben grumbled. “You always do what she tells you to.”

“She’s my boss. And if you don’t get your head in the game, you won’t stand a chance in the primary.”

“God, you even sound like her!”

“One of us should, don’t you think?” Poe countered.

“You need to relax. You’re wound up so tight it’s a wonder you don’t have an aneurysm. It might do you good to flirt with a pretty girl now and again.”

“You flirt enough for the both of us,” Poe griped. “Do I need to remind you that you already have a knockout girlfriend? Tallie’s way too good for you but for some reason she loves your sorry ass. Don’t fuck it up just because she’s on the other side of the country for the week.”

Ben groaned. “Fuck. I know.”

Poe wasn’t done yet. “You getting caught up in an entanglement with the chauffeur's daughter is the stupidest thing you could do right about now.”

“An entanglement? Are you sure you’re two years older than me and not 20?”

Poe flipped him off as he walked out of the room. Once he was alone, a slow smile spread across Ben’s face as he remembered Rey’s shy acceptance when he’d called the apartment to invite her to the party. He stood and checked himself in the floor length mirror, nodding in approval at his reflection. What his girlfriend didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. 

∞∞∞∞∞

A short distance away in the apartment above the garage, Rey also checked her reflection with a mix of trepidation and excitement. She had no idea where the evening would take her, but it didn’t stop her from hoping. She’d waited six years for the opportunity to see Ben again, and now it was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I’ve been away for a month and have missed out on about a hundred new Damerey fics! BRB, catching up on my reading...


	2. Two

Rey stood at the edge of the lawn, bristling with nervous energy. Over two hundred guests milled around the mansion’s outdoor area where the party was in full swing. It couldn’t exactly be called a backyard with its lavish fountain and sculptured gardens festooned with string lights. A grand marquee and stage had been installed for the occasion, and a 12-piece orchestra was playing. Servers in impeccable, matching uniforms wandered discreetly between the guests with trays of canapes and flutes of champagne. To one side, a full bar provided other libations. 

Now she wasn’t just watching one of the Organa-Solos’ parties, she was an attendee. Rey took it all in and felt her anxiety grow. Not for the first time she wished she had declined Ben’s invitation. His call had caught her off guard. When her father handed her the phone and told her who it was, words caught in her throat. She blamed the shock – there was no other earthly reason why she would put herself in this position.

She stood in the shadow of the trees that lined the edge of the party – the very same trees she had climbed as a girl to be witness to countless gatherings like these. She used to love looking at the men and women in their elegant attire as they ate and drank and laughed without a care in the world. When Ben was in attendance, her watchful eye was never far from him. She noticed everything he did and everyone he spoke with, longing for the day she could be the one to whom he paid attention.

Rey suddenly longed for those days when she could hide away. She felt decidedly out of place even if, objectively, she didn’t look it. Her black cocktail dress – another purchase in Paris when she had attended a charity ball with friends – was actually a vintage piece from a thrift store, and looked like it was straight out of an Audrey Hepburn movie. Thankfully the creases from her suitcase had steamed out successfully, and the wavy curls in her hair were behaving themselves with a fair amount of product. 

The only problem was she felt like a fraud. Ben was nowhere to be seen, nor anyone else she knew. As the minutes passed she felt increasingly uncomfortable and was tempted to slip away, invitation or no. As a girl she would have given her right arm to be invited to one of the family’s grand parties. Yet here she was, finally, and all she wanted to do was return to the sanctuary of the apartment above the garage. 

“You came.”

Rey turned with a start to find Ben a few feet from her, dressed in a tuxedo. Her blush was automatic. 

“You invited me,” she murmured.

He closed the distance between them, his gaze more intense than it had been during their first interaction. “You look breathtaking.”

“So do you,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper now as she stared into his dark eyes. “You’re beautiful.”

Ben let out a quiet laugh and glanced at his feet. 

“Handsome, I mean,” Rey corrected herself hastily. “You look handsome.”

“Then my tailor did a good job.”

Rey chuckled too and her nerves settled a little. 

“I’m not sure about this,” she said when she trusted her voice again. “I think I should just go home.”

“You can’t, not yet. We haven’t toasted to your return.” Ben held up his hand and a server appeared with a tray as if by magic. He took two flutes of champagne and offered one to her. “You’re old enough to drink this, right?”

“I’m 23,” she reminded him. 

“Thank God for that,” Ben said in a low, husky tone that caused her stomach to flip flop. “To the return of the beautiful Sabreyna.”

They clinked their glasses together but she didn’t take a sip when he did. 

“Rey.”

“Huh?”

“I go by Rey now.” She didn’t want to remind him of the reasons why she had changed her name. “Rey Solana. My mother’s maiden name.”

Ben’s expression softened. “Rey. It suits you.”

She didn’t want to admit how much she loved hearing her name from his lips, and took a long drink. The champagne bubbles tickled her nose and she spluttered slightly which turned into a cough as she recovered. When she dared to meet Ben’s eyes again he was smiling at her in the same enticing way he had in town. 

“Do you really want to get out of here?” he asked boldly. “We could go together.”

She smiled at his eagerness to escape. “What about your party? My father said it’s for you as much as it is your mother, Mr. Future Congressman.”

“I don’t care about these old rich assholes. Poe can wrangle their donations and endorsements. He loves all that shit.”

“And what about you? Don’t you love it?”

“Hell no.”

“So why do it? Why go into politics?” Rey hoped she hadn’t overstepped when Ben pressed his lips together and didn’t immediately reply. She was about to offer an apology when he spoke again.

“I’m not sure I’m really trained for anything else, despite the law degree. Politics is in my DNA.” He gave her a halfhearted shrug. “We’re like the Kennedys, I guess, there’s just fewer of us. Which means all my mother’s expectations are on me.”

Rey couldn’t feel too sorry for him, given his position and privilege that was so very different from her own. 

“The Kennedys had philandering down to a fine art, too,” she reminded him. “Another similarity, or so I hear.”

“What have you heard?” Ben took a step closer, not breaking his stare. 

It caused her to swallow hard. “Only that you have a serious girlfriend. And people are expecting… They say you’re going to ask her to marry you.”

“I’m sure they are,” he scoffed. “I’m not engaged, Rey.”

“No?”

“No. She’s not even here right now.” He was closer again. “Besides, can’t someone catch up with an old friend?”

“Are we friends?” she queried lightly, more affected by his proximity than she wanted to let on.

“We’ve known each other since you were, what? Two years old?”

“Yet you didn’t recognize me today.”

“I had no idea you’d grow up to be so…” he paused as he searched for the word, “dazzling.”

Rey gulped and distracted herself by taking another sip. 

“Let’s go someplace. Somewhere private,” he urged. 

She closed her eyes to capture the moment she had only dreamed about a few hundred times. _The two of them, all alone, noises of a party in the distance. They’d go to the solarium and drink champagne, and Ben would ask her to dance. The music would be faint but they could just make out the tune, and he would wrap his arms around her and draw her closer until she could feel the heat of his body against hers…_

“Rey? What do you say?” 

Her eyes snapped open and she shook her head wanly. “We can’t.”

“Why not? Who’s going to stop us?” Ben pressed. When she didn’t relent he looked over at the dozen or so couples who were dancing by the band. “Dance with me, then.”

“What?” 

“Dance with me. Please.” Ben held out his hand and before she could answer he was leading her towards the others.

“Ben, no, I can’t. I can’t dance like that,” she protested. 

He stopped just far enough away from the other couples to draw a little less attention, and plucked the champagne flute from her other hand. After both glasses were deposited on a nearby table, he drew her into his arms. 

“Just follow me. You can do it.”

Rey wanted to run but he was holding her and her brain finally registered the fact that _Ben Solo was holding her in his arms._ All rational thought ceased after that. She positioned her feet next to his far larger ones as he started to move. It was little more than a shuffle, really, but Ben smiled down at her and nodded encouragingly. 

“See? You’re a natural.”

She smiled back and decided to hell with it. She knew she may never get another chance to be so close to him, and she wanted to remember every moment.

“I meant what I said before,” he said. “I really would like to get out of here with you. So we can… talk.”

“I’d like to… talk.”

Ben’s expression shifted and he looked over her head, clearly trying to decide something.

“The solarium,” Rey provided for him. “We could go to the solarium.”

“Why there?”

“That’s where you took Bazine Netal during your New Year’s party. Six years ago.”

“Bazine Netal?” He thought hard for a moment, then realization dawned. “How did you—”

“I followed you there. You had champagne then, too.”

“I remember.”

“I didn’t stick around long,” she lied, and recalled the bitter tears she’d cried herself to sleep with that night.

“Good.” Ben’s all-consuming stare was on her again. “The solarium it is. I’ll bring the champagne.”

Rey wanted to pinch herself. A smile formed on her lips and it widened as she looked back up at him. “Okay.”

“Okay?” he asked, looking pleased.

“Okay.”

Before they broke apart they were interrupted by a gravelly voice.

“Sabreyna! My dear girl, how lovely it is to see you again.”

She saw Leia Organa approaching with outstretched arms, followed by Poe. Rey was pulled into a brisk hug then Leia held her at arms’ length to look her over.

“Your time away has obviously agreed with you,” Leia gushed. “You look lovely.”

“Thank you. It’s good to be back, Senator,” Rey replied politely, only glancing briefly at Ben beside her who had stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Call me Leia. You’re family.” The last word was spoken with a pointed look at Ben before she returned her attention to Rey. “I’m so glad you could join us tonight. How did your studies go? Did I hear you were majoring in geology?”

“Environmental Sciences. I just finished my Masters.”

“Impressive. We always knew you’d do well.” Leia dropped her arms. “Now, you’ll have to excuse me while I steal my son away. There are others who have been clamoring to meet him.”

“Of course,” Rey murmured, feeling heat rise to her ears. 

“Poe will keep you company, won’t you, Poe?”

The man in question looked up in surprise. “You don’t want me to track down Senator Ackbar?”

“No, no. You make sure Sabreyna gets something to eat. Introduce her around.” Leia took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Enjoy the party, dear.”

With that, Leia took Ben by the arm and ushered him away, leaving Poe standing there awkwardly. They were gone before Rey realized that Ben hadn’t bothered to object. The disappointment sat heavy in her chest.

“There’s, uh, food servers somewhere around here,” Poe muttered, glancing around the garden.

“You don’t need to do this, Poe,” Rey said resignedly. “I’m sure you have more important things to do than babysit me.”

“I don’t mind.” He gave her an attempt at a smile, clearly tense about something. “I hate these things anyway.”

She let out a breath and looked at him properly for the first time. Up close she saw a few strands of gray in his hair though he was still in his early thirties. It made him look more distinguished than she remembered. Poe had been like her growing up, living in the orbit of the Organa-Solos. His father had served in the military with Han Solo, and since his mother’s death he was like an adopted son to the Senator. 

“How is your father?” Rey remembered Kes fondly, a kindly man who’d often spent time talking to her dad when he came to visit. 

“He’s well. Still on his farm up here.”

“And you’re working for Senator Organa?”

“I’m her legislative director. And these days I’m also an adviser on Ben’s Congressional campaign.” 

“I heard he was running. My father told me,” she added quickly, lest he think she was stalking Ben online.

“He’ll make a good candidate, if he can keep it together and listen to his team,” Poe said with more emphasis. “And if he stays away from any complications and bad optics. These days it’s easy for the press to misconstrue things, innocent or otherwise. Especially when it comes to his personal life.”

Rey nodded slowly and stared out at the party-goers to avoid looking at him. It didn’t quell her mounting indignation or embarrassment. Poe’s fingertips brushed her elbow, prompting her to turn back to him.

“The Senator’s worked hard to position him to succeed her when she’s ready to… move on. We’ve all worked hard. First he’ll serve in the House, then the Senate. It’s all planned.”

She smiled tightly. “Of course. That makes perfect sense.”

“Good. I’m glad you understand, Sabreyna, because I’d hate for anything or anyone to get in the way of that.”

The warning was clear, even if it was delivered conversationally.

She leveled her steely gaze at him. “I understand perfectly. And my name is Rey. Rey Solana. Good night, Poe Dameron.”

Rey kept her chin up as she walked away, and worked hard to keep the tears that had formed from falling.

∞∞∞∞∞

An hour later Ben extricated himself from another banal conversation, having charmed another older couple enough to ensure they’d be writing a check made out to his campaign before the night was through. He saw Poe talking to Kaydel while checking her clipboard, and made a beeline for him.

“Where’s Rey?” he demanded, causing Kaydel to stop mid-sentence. “I’ve been looking for her.”

Poe regarded him blandly, giving away nothing. “She left a while ago. Have you met the Cicers yet?”

“Damn,” Ben muttered. “And no, I haven’t met the fucking Cicers. I’m bored shitless and my face hurts from smiling. I’m taking a break.”

“I’m going to check to see if the Senator needs anything,” Kaydel said and left them to it.

Poe grasped Ben’s arm and pulled him further away from the other party-goers. “What the hell are you doing?” 

“What? I’m not doing anything.”

“All you talked about this afternoon was Rey, and now you want to go chasing after her? Get your head in the goddamn game.”

“Save the lecture, my mother’s already been at me.”

“Good. I hope you listened to her.” Poe was almost a foot shorter than Ben but it didn’t make him any less fierce. “If you don’t screw this up, next year you will become the Representative of the 1st Congressional District of New York. So keep it in your pants.”

“Shut the fuck up. I haven’t done anything,” Ben replied sourly.

“No, but you’re thinking it. I know you, asshole. I’ve known you your whole life. You said your days of screwing around were over. You’re supposed to be focused on Talli and the campaign, and that’s it.”

“Christ, you don’t let up, do you?”

Poe let out an exasperated breath. “I’m telling you, don’t do it.”

Ben stared off into the middle distance. “You don’t see her? She’s incredible. I never imagined Rey would turn out to be so…”

“Off limits,” Poe stated firmly. “Forget about her.”

“I don’t know if I can do that. I felt something tonight. Something real.”

Poe rolled his eyes and muttered something in Spanish under his breath. 

“What would you know?” Ben spat. “All you do is work. You wouldn’t know a beautiful woman if you fell over one. When’s the last time you even fucked someone?”

“That has nothing to do with it,” Poe grumbled, his frown more pronounced. “I do alright.” 

“Bullshit. I’d know if you’d gotten laid because you wouldn’t be so uptight all the time. And you wouldn’t be on my case about Rey.”

Ben started to leave.

“I mean it, Ben. If you try anything I’ll… I’ll tell your mother!”

It was a pitiful threat, and Poe seethed when Ben turned and laughed at him before he walked away. Poe immediately dug his phone out of his pocket and sent Leia a text:

_We have a problem._

∞∞∞∞∞

Rey sat on the stone bench in the solarium, not daring to try one of the more comfortable chaises nearby. She didn’t want to be comfortable, she wanted to be miserable. She had been waiting there for over an hour, waiting and hoping that Ben would turn up and her long dreamt of fantasy could come true. It was no use, she told herself. Ben wasn’t really interested in her. As soon as his mother had interceded he’d left her without a word.

She ran a knuckle under each eye to wipe away her smudged mascara so her father wouldn’t suspect anything had happened. She couldn’t tell him that she’d stayed in the solarium in the vain hope that Ben would give her a second thought. It was all too humiliating. Rey stood up stiffly, not bothering to smooth out the flared skirt of her dress which was now creased beyond salvation. She made her way to the entrance and a figure loomed before her. Suddenly there he was.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ben said with a smooth smile. “I got held up with the most boring people on earth, when all I wanted was to be here with you.”

“Oh,” Rey replied, part disbelief and part exhilaration. 

He held up two glasses and a magnum of champagne. 

“Oh,” she repeated and struggled to find something more articulate to say. “Is that all for us?”

Ben grinned as he walked into the solarium and she followed. He set the glasses down and worked on the bottle, releasing the cork with a soft pop. 

“We already drank to your return,” Ben said as he handed her a full flute. “Let’s toast to us this time.”

“Us?”

“Here together after all these years.”

Rey blinked rapidly and took a sip. Only this time she didn’t stop until she had drained the glass. Ben raised his eyebrows and gave her an impressed nod.

“More?” he asked.

“Why not?” Rey held up her glass while he poured. “It’s all a fantasy anyway.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because of who you are and who I am.”

“Who am I?”

“You’re Ben Organa-Solo. Sorry, soon-to-be Congressman Organa-Solo. You’re too grand for the likes of me.”

He frowned at her, seemingly unable to comprehend that it wasn’t self deprecation behind her words.

“Why do you say that? It’s not true,” he objected.

“Just because I cut my hair and put on a dress doesn’t make me belong here.”

“Bullshit. Who told you that?”

“My whole life tells me that,” Rey said with a shrug. “I grew up watching from afar. _That’s_ where I belong, not here with the handsome prince.”

Ben made a face and she laughed hollowly in an attempt to cut the tension. She took another long sip.

“Don’t let it worry you. I’m just being pragmatic,” she said, this time to mask the hurt. 

“You’re being something,” he countered. “And you’re talking nonsense, Rey. Dance with me.”

His gaze was dark and intense, and the lightheadedness she had been feeling from the champagne evaporated in an instant. Rey took his hand when he offered it without further excuses. Ben led her out to the middle of the solarium and held her again, only this time it was even closer. The music sounded so far away, just like in her dream, but it didn’t matter as he began to sway, his feet barely moving. All the while he stared down at her until Rey couldn’t take it anymore and she pressed her cheek to his broad shoulder.

“This can’t be real,” she breathed.

“Yes, it can.”

His hand shifted up her back and she felt his thumb brush against the bare nape of her neck. She squeezed her eyes shut, drowning in the rush of sensation. 

“Rey,” he said, his voice low as the side of his face rested gently against her hair. “I meant what I said before… let’s get out of here. I don’t just mean the party.”

She pulled away reluctantly so she could look at him. He didn’t stop dancing with her as they contemplated each other, and what he was proposing. When she finally opened her mouth to respond, all that came out was a hiccup. It was closely followed by another one. Rey let go of him and took a step back. Ben looked disappointed until the expression disappeared when she hiccuped again.

“Oh, bugger it all!” she cried.

“It’s just the champagne,” he said reassuringly, then stifled a laugh when it happened again.

Rey was mortified. “No, it’s not! It’s you.”

“What did I do?” Ben asked, clearly amused now. 

“You… you make me nervous,” she stammered, followed promptly by a hiccup.

“I don’t mean to.” He grew more serious as he slowly ran his hands up her bare arms, causing her to shiver. “I don’t want you to be nervous with me.”

Rey held her breath in an attempt to stop herself from making any more stupid noises. He drew her into his arms once more. When they shuffled together this time she didn’t look away, and slowly the hiccuping stopped. 

“Better?” he murmured.

“Better,” she confirmed, caught in his mesmerizing stare.

“Good,” Ben said, barely a whisper. His eyes dropped briefly to her lips then he leaned down slowly towards them.

“Ben!” came a shout that gave them both a fright, and they immediately broke apart. 

Poe jogged into the solarium a little out of breath. Ben looked furious, while Rey’s cheeks burned.

“What the hell,” Ben glowered.

Poe waved his phone at him. “Tallissan called me. She’s been trying to reach you but your phone must be on silent. She’s about to go into surgery.”

Ben fished out his phone from his pocket and swore under his breath when he saw the missed calls. He glanced back at Rey.

“I need to...”

She nodded in acceptance, carefully avoiding looking at Poe who she was certain was watching her reaction.

“I won’t be long,” Ben said.

“It’s fine, I should be going home anyway.”

“Don’t do that, I’ll be right back.”

“Your mother was looking for you too,” Poe interjected. “The Governor just arrived.”

Ben lost a little more color and looked at his phone again.

“Don’t worry, I’ll look after Rey,” Poe offered, causing her a stab of annoyance.

“I’ll see you, then,” Ben said weakly and was soon gone, the phone pressed to his ear. 

Rey wished the ground would swallow her whole when she was left there with Poe. His breathing had returned to normal and she waited for the lecture.

“Are you alright?” he asked instead. His eyes fell on the champagne nearby. 

“Of course.”

Poe didn’t appear to believe her, which only increased her anger.

“I don’t need to be managed,” Rey said through barely gritted teeth.

“That makes one of you,” he muttered, looking towards the door where Ben had just fled. “Listen, Rey…”

“Spare me. I heard you loud and clear earlier.”

Poe rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “About that, I wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have said what I did back there.”

It was the last thing Rey had expected to hear. She chewed her bottom lip and waited.

“Ben is just… Ben. He doesn’t set out to hurt people but he has a knack for it,” Poe went on.

“He hasn’t hurt me.”

“No, but he will if you let him.”

“Some friend you are,” she retorted.

“I _am_ his friend. And I’d like to be yours, too. Trust me when I tell you that this cannot happen. Ben’s girlfriend? She’s the Governor’s daughter.”

“I know.”

“Then you also know that an alliance between their families will boost his political standing in a way his campaign never can, especially in Long Island. Ben knows it too.”

“What are you saying, that he’s using her to get a Congressional seat?” she asked in dismay, even as she suspected the kernel of truth.

Poe’s expression became less set. “No. I genuinely think he loves her, in his own way. The rest of it… her money and her family… that’s just a bonus.”

Rey was rapidly losing the battle against her emotions, despondency replacing her ire. She kept her voice as even as she could.

“Why don’t you trust him to make a choice that’s best for him?”

“Because Ben has a history of making entirely the wrong choices.”

“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do.”

Poe looked at her with sympathy. “I know him better than anyone. More than his parents, even. I’m used to cleaning up his messes.”

Being called a mess was as much as she could take, and Rey started to walk away.

“Rey, I don’t mean to be a jackass…”

She rounded on him, wishing she was still angry rather than close to tears once more. “And yet here you are, doing an awfully good impression of one.”

Poe looked chastened, and then she saw the undeniable pity on his face. “I don’t want you to get hurt here. You don’t deserve that.”

Rey turned and kept going this time, leaving him behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot less Ben from here on out, I swear...
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Three

Leia returned to her office as soon as the final guests had left, and found Poe still working.

“Well?” she asked, crossing the room to review the list already on her desk.

“Confirmed donors. Pretty much what we expected.”

“Good.” Leia sat down with a sigh and kicked off her heels. “Did Maude Ematt commit to hosting the fundraiser?” 

Poe leaned back in his seat and ran his hand over his tired eyes. “She did.”

“Excellent. The Governor deigning to make an appearance helped, I’m sure. I thought Ben did well putting up with him and his endless stories. Personally I can’t stomach the arrogant peacock. So why don’t you look happier?”

Poe paused, reluctant to have the conversation that couldn’t be avoided. Not when he remembered the look on Rey’s face when she left the solarium. It felt a little like betrayal to be talking about her behind her back, though he owed her no loyalty. That was reserved for Leia.

“He was with her again,” Poe said. “I found them in the solarium.”

Leia grimaced. “Found them doing what?”

“Nothing like that. Though I’m pretty sure if I hadn’t interrupted when I did we’d be dealing with a bigger problem right now.”

“He can’t be serious, can he? He’s known Sabreyna all these years and it was never an issue.”

“Apparently he has a different view about Rey.”

Leia humphed her displeasure. “Ben was supposed to spend this week with Talli away drumming up support with the locals. Instead he’s making eyes at the chauffeur’s daughter?”

Poe shrugged.

“Forget the blow back for jilting the governor's daughter,” Leia continued, a frown knitting her brow. “If the press works out who Rey really is it will be like six years ago all over again. He can’t be embroiled in any scandal. Now is the time to consolidate his position before this campaign really starts.”

“We need to distract him, that’s all. Keep him focused on the campaign.”

Leia pinched her lip as she contemplated how to overcome that particular challenge. Poe knew both she and her husband had tried their best to keep him in check, but Ben had caused them more than a few problems in the past. It was never malicious, he simply tended to make imprudent choices that were careless rather than cruel. 

“We could send her away,” Poe suggested, eager to avoid any protracted negotiation. “He’ll forget all about this little infatuation if Rey isn’t right here under his nose.” 

“She just came back. Would she want to leave again so soon?”

“It wouldn’t be forever, just for a week or two. Could Han manage without John for that long? Maybe he could go with her someplace. Send them on a family holiday.”

Leia pondered this for a moment. “No… No need to disturb John’s routine. She said she studied environmental science, yes?”

“Uh huh.”

“We were looking for someone qualified to review our position on climate change.”

“We were?” Poe’s surprise was met with a sardonic look from Leia. “Oh, right.”

“Who better than a young, energetic scientist? We could send her to D.C. Pay her as a consultant and have her write a report,” Leia said with increasing decisiveness.

“Do you think she’d go for that?” Poe’s tone was skeptical.

“Why wouldn’t she want to spend time in our nation’s capital? She could work out of the office and stay at the townhouse. It should take a week or so.”

“Just in time for a certain doctor to return from California,” Poe replied, coming around to the idea.

“What a coincidence.”

He gave her a conspiratorial smile. “I’ll have Beaumont book her trip.”

“No, I want you to go with her.” Leia held up a hand when Poe looked immediately affronted. “We don’t want to send her to a place where she doesn’t know anyone. Someone needs to keep an eye on both of them. Kaydel and I will ensure Ben stays on task here, while you take care of Rey.”

Poe was not convinced, not after all the work that had gone into the campaign thus far. “I thought you wanted me up here to coordinate the local fundraisers? We have meetings lined up all week with potential donors, and we’re supposed to be shortlisting campaign managers…”

“I’m sure Kay can handle the fundraisers in your absence, and we can talk on the phone about staffing.”

He huffed a breath in frustration, knowing full well he was fighting a losing battle. “Senator… Leia… you specifically put me on Ben’s campaign to—”

“You’re still needed on the campaign, Poe. Keeping tabs on Rey is precisely what’s needed in the short term. You know as well as I do how important it is for Ben to maintain the image we’ve all worked so hard to create.”

“And screwing the chauffeur’s daughter doesn’t factor into it,” Poe griped.

“Especially considering whose granddaughter she is.” Leia’s expression grew more conciliatory. “I like Sabreyna. I always have. But she’s a liability and Ben isn’t to be trusted. Not when there are larger stakes at play. I need you to do this for me.”

That was all it took – Leia needed him. Poe nodded in resignation, willing to do whatever she asked of him. “Fine. I’ll take her to D.C. I suppose there’s plenty of other work for me to catch up on.”

“Thank you, Poe. We’re in this together.”

“‘Til the end, Madam President.” His smile was sincere this time.

Leia pointed a finger at him and smothered her own smile. “We made a pledge not to say it out loud, remember? Not until the exploratory committee is in place.”

Poe pressed his lips together and nodded again.

∞∞∞∞∞

Rey barely touched her breakfast and instead sat across from her father with a faraway look in her eyes, cradling a mug of coffee. She was still processing the events of the previous evening, choosing to focus on her time with Ben rather than anything that Poe had to say to her. 

She knew she wasn’t crazy – Ben had felt the attraction between them too. Clearly it was enough to unsettle the Senator and her attack dog, and Poe had been sent to interrupt them. It gave her a small spark of hope. Ben might have a girlfriend, one that fit his political aspirations to a tee, but he couldn’t deny the very real connection they shared. Rey lost herself in the idea that maybe, just maybe, her dream of being with him could come true after all.

“Your eggs are getting cold,” her father said, bringing her back to reality.

“Hmm? Sorry, Dad. I’m not very hungry this morning.”

He kept staring at her until she met his gaze. “Did anything happen last night that we should talk about?”

Rey couldn’t help smiling at his fatherly concern. “Nothing shameful, I promise.”

“You saw Master Ben, I take it.”

“You don’t still call him that, do you?” she groaned. “He’s 30 years old.”

“No, and you didn’t answer my question.”

This time she took a bite of toast so she couldn’t respond, but her eyes gave her away.

“Rey—”

“There’s nothing for you to worry about, I promise.”

Her father looked like he had more to say when they were both surprised by a knock at the apartment door. 

“Are you expecting someone?” she asked.

“No, are you?” he replied more pointedly.

Rey’s heart started hammering in her chest when she thought about Ben seeking her out again. She dropped her toast and scrambled to her feet. She was still in her sleep shorts and a t-shirt, and her hair was a mess. Without a word to her father she ran to her bedroom to change. As she stripped off her clothes and searched for a suitable outfit in the bags she’d yet to fully unpack, she heard muffled voices in the living room. Male voices. 

Ben had never been inside the apartment above the garage as far as she knew. For him to come there to see her… She was too nervous to complete the thought, and prayed that she didn’t start hiccuping again. Rey forced herself to calm down as she ran a brush through her hair and checked herself in the mirror. She wore no make up so her freckles were more prominent than she would have liked. She didn’t want to look like the girl he’d grown up with, she wanted to be the woman who had caught his attention finally. But there was no time, it would have to do.

Rey took a deep breath to calm herself as she stood at her bedroom door, then opened it to rejoin her father. The smile on her face froze when she found Poe standing there.

“Oh,” she said, unable to mask her disappointment. “H-hello.”

“Morning,” Poe replied.

Her father spoke up when she didn’t. “I’ll leave you two to talk.” 

“No, stay,” Rey said hastily when he started for the door. “I’m sure there’s nothing Poe has to say that you can’t hear too, Dad.”

“That’s right,” Poe said evenly, not giving anything away.

“Take a seat, then,” John offered, gesturing towards the couch. He sat down at the table again while Rey took the armchair that was farthest away from where Poe was.

“Senator Organa asked me to speak to you, Rey,” he started, which caused her to panic and regret asking her father to stay. “She has a favor to ask.”

Rey glanced anxiously at her father. “What kind of favor?”

“As you’d no doubt know, the Senator is interested in a wide range of issues. Her extensive Committee work aside, she likes to ensure that her policies and positions on matters important to her constituents are up to date. One of those is climate change and the environment. So we'd like to hire you.”

Rey blinked in surprise. “Hire me?”

“As a short term consultant, to undertake a review of the Senator’s environmental position.” Poe leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He was wearing suit pants and a blue business shirt open at the collar, but he still looked overdressed somehow. “It’s a topic she’d like to get closer to. Senator Organa is fully aware of the criticality of climate-related issues. She would value your expert opinion. If you’re available, that is.”

“I’m... I’m available,” Rey said hesitantly. She had no other work lined up yet, and was putting off the decision between finding a job or continuing her studies, at least until her jet lag wore off.

“Good. You have dual citizenship, right?”

She nodded.

Poe got to his feet. “Excellent. I’ll have the paperwork drawn up so you can get started straight away. The review should only take about a week—”

“Wait, wait,” Rey replied as she stood up, finally able to get her words out. “Why does the Senator want to hire me? I’m sure you have access to a raft of scientists more qualified than I am.”

“None who live next door to her, who she knows and trusts,” he commented as he checked his watch. “And you said you have a Masters degree, yes?”

“Yes.”

“It sounds like a wonderful opportunity, Rey,” her father interjected.

“I’m sure it is,” she said, her thoughts still whirling. 

Poe paused and looked between them. “Okay then. You’ll need to be ready to leave for D.C this afternoon.”

Rey was caught off guard again. “D.C.?!”

“Where the rest of the Senator’s legislative team is. My team,” he clarified. “It will be easier there, and you’ll have all the access you need. The car will be here at midday to take us to the airport.”

“Us?”

“I’m heading back to the Capitol office too. So I’ll see you in a few hours.” Poe’s expression was inscrutable as he began walking to the door. “Sorry for the intrusion, John.”

Rey was still staring at the spot where Poe had been. When she heard the door close behind him she jumped up and started after him, ignoring her father’s questioning look. 

“Poe!” she called out and caught up with him on the driveway. “I thought you were working on Ben’s campaign?”

“He has all the help he needs right now. All good?” He began walking away again before she could answer, and she reached out to grab his arm.

“I know what you’re doing,” Rey said, not caring how accusatory her tone was. “Is Ben aware of this sudden request?”

“I don’t know everything he talks about with his mother.” The flash of apparent guilt in Poe’s eyes was quickly replaced by one of neutrality. “This is a good offer, Rey. The Senator wants your help. Think about what it will look like on your resume.”

“I’m aware of that. It’s just a little too convenient that I’m being shipped off to D.C. the day after Ben and I... reconnected.” She blushed slightly at the word.

“It’s only for a week. I’m sure anything you and Ben want to ‘reconnect’ on can wait until then.” 

“You can’t keep me from seeing him if that’s what Ben wants,” Rey argued obstinately.

“I’m sure you’re right.” Poe turned towards the house.

“Or from talking to him before I go,” she said to his retreating back. 

“Good luck with that,” Poe called over his shoulder. “He’s gone to look at some potential offices for his campaign headquarters.”

Rey swore under her breath at the smirk she caught on his face. She crossed her arms and glared until he was no longer in sight, while she decided her next course of action. The idea of going to D.C., traveling with Poe aside, was enticing. She had never been, and consulting for a senator would be a boon to her future job prospects, even if it was only for a week. And even if it meant being away from Ben for that time. 

She didn’t want to go without saying goodbye. When she thought about how he had looked at her the previous evening, how he’d held her in his arms… Rey was suddenly filled with a need to see him. Though she knew she should be re-packing her suitcase, she went into the garage in search of her bike instead. When she located it in the storeroom that held the family’s ski equipment and other odds and ends, the tires needed some air but otherwise it appeared to be rideable.

“Where are you off to?” her father queried when he found her shortly after, pumping up the bike’s front tire. “I thought you’d be getting ready for your trip.”

“I need to go into town for something first,” she replied distractedly.

“I can drive you.”

She hesitated, not wishing to spend even less time with him than she already had, but not wanting to confess why she was going. Rey finished her task and stood up.

“It’s fine, Dad. I need the fresh air. I won’t be long.” She looked down at her feet before she met his gaze. “You don’t mind about my going away so soon, do you?”

“And turn down a perfectly good opportunity like this? Of course not, Breya.”

Rey smiled sadly at his use of her childhood pet name, and was overwhelmed by a rush of emotion. She moved swiftly to hug him. 

“I’ll miss you. I won’t be gone for so long this time.”

He patted her arm as he held her. When Rey stepped back she saw he was calmly resolute. 

“Go on now,” he said with a wave of his hand. “If you’re riding into town you better get going so you’re back in plenty of time. You don’t want to be late for the Senator.”

“Bye, Dad.” She didn’t trust herself to say more and flicked the kickstand on her bike to wheel it out onto the drive. 

Once she was away from the estate following the road into town, Rey’s anticipation grew by the minute. She had no idea where to look for Ben, but the north shore hamlet wasn’t large, and there were only so many buildings that would be a suitable campaign headquarters. There was always the possibility that he’d look further afield in one of the nearby towns, the ones with larger populations and more exposure for a would-be congressman. As quickly as her spirits had risen, they plummeted when she contemplated leaving without seeing him. Rey wished she’d had the foresight to ask for his number, or to give him hers. She’d been too preoccupied the previous evening for such practicalities.

She saw no sign of Ben as she rode through the main thoroughfare a short time later. His Ferrari was still at the mansion so he was in a different vehicle, probably with staff in tow. Rey swore at herself for thinking she had any chance of finding him this way, and after a fruitless 30 minutes she made the slower journey back in order to get ready to leave for D.C.

During the ride she made the decision – she would put all thoughts of Ben aside for now. At least, she would try. She had done it once before when she was sent away to England. The first few months had been the worst, plagued with homesickness and fury over her banishment. It grew easier as time went on and she settled into university and made new friends. There were even a few boyfriends, and though none of them measured up to Ben, they helped her to not dwell on her feelings. 

Rey had survived six years without him. She could handle one week. After that… after that she’d worry about everything else then.

∞∞∞∞∞

A black town car was there to collect them at midday as arranged. There was no sign of the Senator so Rey could thank her personally, only Poe who waited patiently while she said another farewell to her father. When they were on their way Poe was busy dealing with emails on his phone, leaving Rey to stare out of the window at the familiar view that passed them by. She figured it would be over an hour’s drive to JFK and didn’t mind not speaking to him for the duration, but it wasn’t long before the car pulled into a regional airstrip. They passed through a security gate and drove right onto the edge of the runway.

She turned to Poe. “We’re flying privately?”

“One of the perks of working for the Senator,” he said distractedly before bothering to look at her. “That okay? You don’t have a fear of small planes, do you?”

“Um, I have no idea.”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

The car drew to a stop and Poe got out to retrieve their suitcases from the trunk. He said a few words to the driver while Rey was slower to move. Nearby was a sleek jet plane, its short stairway extended. 

“You ready?” Poe called to her after he started walking to the plane and she didn’t follow.

“What about…” Rey gestured to the suitcases just as the driver took them both to the rear of the jet for loading. She hurried to catch up with Poe as he mounted the stairs and disappeared inside.

When Rey joined him her mouth dropped open at the luxurious interior, a handful of armchair-sized seats along each side. Poe had already taken a seat facing away from the front of the jet where she could see the open cockpit door. As Rey sat down opposite him, a young woman appeared from behind wearing a stylish pant suit. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Dameron, Ms. Solana.”

“Hi Nimi,” Poe greeted her without looking up from unpacking some folders from his messenger bag onto the wooden table between them. 

“Can I offer you anything to drink? Coffee? Water?”

“Nothing for me, thanks.” Poe glanced up at Rey when she hadn’t said anything.

“Uh, no thank you, I’m fine,” she said, still in awe of the whole situation.

Nimi smiled politely. “Captain Kun will be ready for takeoff shortly. Our flight time is an hour and 10 minutes.”

“Great,” Poe said.

“Can I assist with your seat belt, Ms. Solana?”

“Oh, no, thank you. I’ve got it.” Rey fumbled only slightly with the belt then sat back in the expansive leather seat.

When Nimi had returned to the partitioned space at the rear of the jet, Rey watched Poe organize his papers.

“Is this how every senator travels?” she wondered, still in disbelief.

“Just the rich ones,” he said. “The taxpayer doesn’t bear the cost, if that’s what’s worrying you. It’s owned and run by the family.”

Of course it was, she wanted to say. It was no surprise that the Organa-Solos had their own plane, just like they had a fleet of cars and multiple homes. Poe was taking it all in his stride as if it were nothing special, and Rey tried to mimic him. When the door was closed and the jet began to taxi to the runway, however, she noticed his eyes grow more furtive. As the plane picked up speed before take off, Poe’s fingers slipped into his shirt so he could clutch something that was hanging around his neck. 

“Should I be worried?” she said. “Or do _you_ have a fear of small planes?”

“Not fear. Superstition, maybe. It’s become a habit.” He tugged on the chain to show her a silver ring that hung off it. “It was my mother’s.”

“She was a pilot, wasn’t she?” Rey asked, suddenly remembering that tidbit of information she’d overheard many years ago.

“She was Leia’s personal pilot back in the day, when I was just a kid.” Poe’s fingers curled around the ring once more. “Don’t worry, I’ve taken this flight plenty of times. Haven’t crashed yet.”

Rey tried to ignore any trepidation she felt. She peered out the window as the jet’s speed increased until they were airborne. They climbed smoothly for a few minutes then leveled out. Only then did Poe let go of the ring, tucking it back under his blue shirt. He offered her a wan smile.

“See?”

She didn’t quite smile back, though she was glad for the hint of camaraderie from him. Rey had not spent much time with Poe growing up, but until the previous evening it had been friendly. She was warier of him now, and unsure how to make any sort of conversation with him after their recent interactions.

“My mother died when I was a baby,” she blurted out, then quickly regretted it. 

“I know.” He frowned slightly as he looked at her. 

Rey was determined to keep her thoughts to herself after that, until he spoke again, softer this time.

“I was eight when mine died.”

It wasn’t exactly the cheeriest of topics, but she reasoned that growing up without a mother was one of the few things they had in common. 

“Your father worked for Mr. Solo too, didn’t he?” 

“For a while. Then he decided he wanted a quieter life and settled on his farm.”

Rey relaxed a little more. “I remember going there when I was young. We helped with the harvest a few times.”

“I remember too. It was before I went away to college. I gave you a ride on the tractor.”

She dug into her memories and smiled when she recalled it. “You let me steer through the orchard.”

Poe’s smile was less pronounced but his stare did not waver from her. 

“You didn’t come home often after that, did you?” she asked.

“I was around. I don’t suppose you noticed, because I wasn’t Ben.” He held up his hands in response to her frown. “No judgment.”

Rey looked out the window again as she stewed with fresh embarrassment. “I suppose it’s one big joke to all of you. The chauffeur's daughter getting above her station.”

“No one said that.” Poe’s tone was gentler than she expected, and she saw some of the same pity from the party on his face.

“Not out loud, perhaps. I’m not a fool, Poe. I know why the Senator is sending me to D.C.”

“She wants your opinion—”

“She wants me away from her son. Let’s at least be honest about that.”

Poe chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. “Okay. She wants you away from her son.”

“What is it you people are afraid of?”

He sat up straighter. “Hey, I’m not ‘you people’. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon like they did.”

“You don’t want me anywhere near Ben either,” she argued. “You made that very clear.”

“He’s in a relationship, Rey. But you know Ben, his head can be turned…”

“By any piece of arse who comes across his path?” she finished for him.

Poe shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. It’s not just Ben who’d be affected if the press got wind of any scandal. I have to protect the Senator.”

“You mean because of who I am. Not Rey Solana or Rey Smith,” her voice dropped to a hiss, “but Rey Palpatine.”

She hated mentioning her grandfather’s name. Even after years of incarceration he was still loathed, her true last name a dirty word. Poe leaned forward and spoke just as quietly. 

“They found out the truth about your father six years ago and the Senator almost lost her re-election, despite being highly respected on both sides of the aisle. Surely you can understand why it can never happen between you two. Ben’s political career is just beginning – it would destroy any chance he had.”

She was saved from having to answer when Nimi returned and served them imported sparkling water, followed by gourmet sandwiches. Poe thanked her and started eating but Rey abstained, too angry to stomach anything. She sat in a stony silence until he was finished with lunch and started on the work in front of him.

“My first environmental recommendation to the Senator is to stop using a private jet to travel back and forth to D.C.,” Rey said curtly. “I’ll be sure to put it in my report.”

Poe’s lips twitched with a smile, and there was a hint of begrudging admiration in his eyes. “Noted.”

Rey concentrated on the view out of the window after that, determined not to speak to him again until she absolutely had to. It didn’t stop her from thinking about what Poe had said, however. She found it hard to think about anything else.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Ms. Solana Goes to Washington... 
> 
> ...where there is no COVID-19 and it's politics as usual in this story. If you're stuck at home in self-isolation I hope you and your families stay safe and healthy!


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